Moosewood’s Best Ever Vegetarian Chili
"February is frigid in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. To counter the cold weather blues and blahs, Ithaca holds a Chili Fest. Local restaurants, caterers, and carry-outs showcase their favorite chilis, and happy consumers taste their way through the numerous chili stalls, imbibe local microbrews, and try to stay astride the mechanical bull. Sated, the people then vote for the “best” chili in a set of categories. We don’t mind mentioning that Moosewood has won first place three times in the vegetarian category."
Servings: 8 cups
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 2 cups seeded and chopped red bell peppers
- 1 fresh hot pepper seeded and minced
- 1½ tablespoons ground cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
- 1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15oz) can red kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 1 (15oz) can black beans rinsed and drained
Instructions
- Warm the oil in a covered soup pot on low heat. Add the onions, garlic, and salt, and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
- Add the carrots and bell peppers, increase the heat to medium-high and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Stir in the hot peppers, cumin, coriander, and oregano and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally so the spices won’t stick.
- Add the corn, tomatoes, kidney beans, and black beans. Bring the chili to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer, stirring often, for at least 30 minutes.
- Serve with a simple green salad, and Cornbread, Vegan Cornbread, or tortilla chips.
Notes
We like this festive yellow, red, orange, and black chili topped with Chipotle Cream; it’s also really delicious with Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce.
